Uganda’s Electoral Commission has made biometric voter verification a central pillar of preparations for the 2026 General Elections, announcing a nationwide deployment of technology aimed at strengthening the credibility of the electoral process.

Providing an update on the election roadmap, Electoral Commission Chairperson Justice Simon Byabakama Mugenyi said the Commission has procured 109,142 Biometric Voter Verification Kits that will be used at polling stations across the country during the 2025–2026 election cycle.

The kits are equipped with fingerprint and facial recognition technology to verify voters against the official register at each polling station. According to the Commission, the system is designed to ensure that only duly registered voters participate in the elections and that each voter casts only one ballot.

“The technology will help eliminate multiple voting, impersonation and other electoral malpractices,” Byabakama said, adding that election officials at all levels are currently being trained to operate the equipment.

To boost public trust, the Commission has started conducting public demonstrations of the Biometric Voter Verification System. The exercise is intended to familiarise stakeholders with polling-day procedures, explain how voters will be identified and verified, and outline the safeguards built into the system.

In addition, the Commission has commenced the issuance of Voter Location Slips to registered voters nationwide. The exercise, running from December 15, 2025, to January 13, 2026, aims to help voters easily identify their designated polling stations.

Each slip contains the voter’s photograph, personal details and polling station information, as well as a unique barcode that will be scanned by the biometric machines on polling day. The Commission said the initiative addresses previous concerns from voters who had difficulty locating their polling stations.

The Electoral Commission has also revised the polling dates for elections of Special Interest Group representatives at both parliamentary and local government levels, allowing eligible voters to take part in both universal suffrage and electoral college processes. All other election dates remain unchanged.

Byabakama urged voters to personally collect their Voter Location Slips from parish or ward supervisors and to keep them safe to prevent damage to the barcode.

He said the combined use of biometric verification and voter location slips is expected to enhance transparency, efficiency and public confidence as Uganda prepares for the 2026 General Elections.